A TV set that renders stereoscopic 3D content using active or passive eyeglass technology. Active 3D TVs use shutter glasses that synchronize with the TV set to open and close each lens at the right time. Passive 3D TVs use less costly polarized glasses that separate the stereo frames by polarization. Although they have yet to become mainstream, there are 3D technologies that do not require glasses (see
SeeCube and
Sony Spatial Reality Display).
3D Television Has Come and Gone
Active 3D TVs were introduced in the U.S. in the 2010 time frame, and passive 3D TVs emerged in 2011. However, 3D TVs were pretty much a fad, and manufacturers began to cease production by 2016. However, as of 2020, 3D is still being offered in TV projectors because they can generate a 10 foot and larger image. When watching 3D, people like to be immersed in the picture. See
active 3D,
polarized 3D and
3D visualization.